Two running unopposed for NY Supreme Court bench in Third District

KINGSTON >> Voters in Ulster, Greene, and Columbia counties will elect two state Supreme Court justices to serve for the next 10 years when they go to the polls on Nov. 8.

Running unopposed for seats on the state Supreme Court bench in the Third Judicial District are Andrew Ceresia and Michael Mackey. Both men will be on the Democratic, Republican, Conservative, and Independence lines on the ballot.

The two are running for seats being vacated by Justice Thomas Breslin, of Albany County, and Justice Raymond Elliott, of Rensselear County. Both men have reached the state’s mandatory judicial retirement age of 70.

Ceresia, 45, is a sitting Rensselear County judge and has served as an acting state Supreme Court justice since 2011 and an acting Albany County judge since 2013.

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He served as North Greenbush town justice from 2004 until he was appointed county judge in 2009. He was elected to the county bench in 2010.

Ceresia previously worked as a private-practice attorney with an Albany law firm and worked for five years as an appellate court attorney for the Third Judicial District.

A lifelong Rensselaer County resident, Ceresia graduated from Troy High School and holds a bachelor’s degree from SUNY Oneonta and a law degree from Albany Law School.

He and his wife, Tracee, live in North Greenbush with their son, Braden.

Mackey is a partner and founding member of the Albany law firm Feeney, Centi & Mackey, where he focuses on personal-injury litigation with a heavy emphasis on medical malpractice and product liability.

He also is a member of the Albany County Legislature, where he serves as chairman of the Law Committee and as a member of the Audit and Finance and Public Works committees.

Mackey served as the New Scotland town attorney from 2004 to 2011 and as confidential law clerk to Albany County Judge John Clyne from 1981 to 1984.

Originally from Massena, Mackey earned his bachelor’s degree in 1978 and his law degree in 1981.

He and his wife, Martha, live in Voorheesville with their three children, Patrick, Ethan, and Lauren.

In an emailed statement, Mackey said: “I think it is very important to elect judges who have significant practice experience. There is no other way to really understand the challenges and concerns of attorneys practicing before the court, or the stresses faced by their clients, witnesses and even jurors. I believe my experience will be an asset to the court and, more importantly, of value to people who come before the court.”

State Supreme Court justices are elected to 10-year terms and will be paid $193,000 in 2017.

About the Author

Since 1990, Patricia R. Doxsey has been a reporter for the Freeman, covering politics, crime, and government affairs. Reach the author at pdoxsey@freemanonline.com
or follow Patricia R. on Twitter: @pattiatfreeman.